A Nindroid's Tears: Forgotten
by Zane's Girlfriend
Summary: Zane finds more forgotten memories and is captured by the Serpentine with Lloyd. He has to escape and decipher the traumatizing past. Will he succeed or will he be used as bait for his friends? This occurs after Episode seven: Tick Tock. I do not own Ninjago. This does not contain bad language. It is rated T for violence. This is my first Fan Fiction.
1. Chapter 1

This is rated T for teens. There is no bad language (my family and I have strong convictions on it). This is only for violence and is my first attempt at Fan Fiction. No flames please. I do welcome critiquing though.

Chapter 1

The Memories

I nervously glance at the unconscious man on the ground in front of me. Rain drenches my cold, shivering body. My head throbs in rhythm with the booming thunder. I look at his face, feeling fear creep into the very corners of my wounded heart. I know this man, but he seems a distant memory of a forgotten past. I stare at my hand. I am holding a knife. Though I know it is not my own, I cannot help but wonder what happened to him and what this has to do with me. Even if I'm a ninja, I would never harm a man. EVEN if I am a robot, I would never do this to anyone. But, I cannot deny the fact that there is blood on my hands. I look at my soaked shoulder and see it is severely injured. Perhaps the blood is my own; no I am a droid. My shoulder is in intense pain and I feel sick. Everything turns black and I feel myself hit the hard ground.

I hear a 'what seems distant voice' calling me, "Zane? Zane! Get up!"

I open my eyes abruptly, seeing bright light and roll clean off my bed. I hit my head on the wood, feeling a bit of a sting. I immediately stand up and observe my hands. No knife; not a trace of blood; no pain. I glance at my shoulder and find it is perfectly normal. It was only a dream. I smell something burning."Zane, are you okay? You look a bit off," I hear a voice behind me, "What are you doing?" I turn to see Kai behind me with a confused expression on his face.

"Nothing. I was just confirming my dream wasn't reality," I respond, "Where are the others?"

"Heading to the breakfast table. They wanted me to wake you up. Plus-you're not going to like this first this in the morning-Cole's cooking pancakes."

"No wonder something smells as if it's burning."

"Yeah. Take your time getting ready," Kai called as he shut the door behind him. I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth. After that, I washed my face and stared into the mirror, with the water still running. Yesterday I discovered I am a robot, which is a major shock to a 'down-to-earth' individual. I have had strange dreams and scenes flash before me, as if more memories have been lost or erased then I had once believed. Something traumatizing occurred previously that was after my father passed away. I need to know. But must be rid of the snake issue before digging into secondary matters. I sigh and turn the faucet off. I dry my face with a towel, change into my white ninja suit, and head out to the dining area. I smile in the doorway when I see everyone chatting lively (especially Jay). I enter in silence and hear the usual greetings they give me. Nothing has changed although they know who I am. Or do they? I try to push the thought to the back of my mind and sit at my usual spot. At the same moment, Cole comes in with two platters of charred pancakes. I refrain from covering my nose and maintain a placid expression. He sets the food on the table and takes his seat with a cheery expression.

"Aren't you forgetting something," Jay says. Cole looks at him, clearly perplexed.

"You forgot the syrup and butter," Kai informs him.

"Oh yes!" Cole exclaims, "And I thought you were teasing me about my food."

"I'll get it," I volunteer and head to the kitchen. I open the fridge door and get out the butter. The syrup was already on the counter, so I go to pick it up. The moment I pick it up I see a vivid vision before me. A teen, resembling me walks towards the dining room and screams. The place darkens and three masked men, holding knives, approach him. I do not move, but just stand there, petrified.

"Call the police, now!" the teen screams. I see an elderly woman with a cane hurry off and fade from the scene and the boy, wielding a bat, is attacked and eventually is struck down. He is stabbed in the shoulder and drops to the ground. I touch my own shoulder, feeling violent pain in the same area. My head throbs and things turn blurry. I see them gloating over the poor teen, who is still conscious. I fall onto the tile and drop the things in my hands, making a loud crash, audible to everyone.

"Zane, are you alright?" I hear Nya's voice from the other room.

"Do you need help?" Kai calls out. I open my mouth, but can't speak. They hurry in.

"Are you okay?" Jay gasps. I fight the pain and try to get up, but cannot. Kai and Nya grab me by both arms and help me stand. I wince at the ripping feeling in my shoulder and feel a wave of sickness wash over me. I stumble backwards into the two siblings, who catch me as the blackness takes over me.


	2. Chapter 2: Trauma

Chapter

Two Trauma

I open my eyes and feel my throbbing head first, then my arm, which feels a bit sore from the fall. My shoulder, however, is not in any pain whatsoever. I am in my bed, again this time with the others (Nya, Kai, Jay, and Cole) sitting on the floor.

Kai sees me and stands up, "Can you hear me, Zane? Are you alright?" Everyone crowds round me with concerned expressions on their usually happy faces. "What happened to you?" Jay asks.

"I'm not quite certain," I respond and then add to lighten the mood, "I sense Cole's breakfast did it for me." Everyone laughs, with the exception of the black ninja. He stares at me with a hard face and breaks in, "Why are you cracking jokes when you were sick like that? Does our concern seem entertaining to you?"

All of us cease our laughter and I put on a straight expression, "I'm sorry, Cole. I will explain it in due time, but I would rather not at the moment. I need time to think this through. I am going to take a walk in the forest, alone."

"Why?" Jay presses. I see Kai give him a fierce look and Jay backs down mumbling.

"Zane, we respect your decision, however, we are concerned with your safety," Nya says in a calm tone.

"I will be fine," I reply, "I'll take my weapons with me, just to be safe."

"But can you use them?" Jay asks.

"I am able to," I reassure him (though I am not certain), "Don't worry."

"Can you get up?" Kai questions me.

"I believe so. Let me make an attempt." They move out of the way and I slowly lift the sheet and blanket off me. I swing my legs off the bed and start to carefully stand up, ignoring the pain in my head. I can walk and am fine. I get my shurikens and depart from the bounty, walking into the woods where I first met the falcon. After trudging along for about ten minutes, I stop and lean against a tree; the pain is quite irritating and I hope it will go away. I suddenly hear a crack of a branch not far behind me and whirl round, pulling out my weapons, ready for any of the snakes. It's Lloyd! "Lloyd!" I shout joyfully and run towards him, "Did you escape the serpentine?" When I reach him, I see clearly it is not so. He is shaking all over and is bound by ropes. I slice through them with one stroke of my shurikens.

"Zane!" he whispers frantically, "They're everywhere! They are-" In the middle of his sentence, five Constrictai slide down the tree and surround us in a circle. The trick is to be swift, because their strength is overpowering (in addition, Sensei ordered me to beat the Venomari). I try to concentrate on my True Potential but strange scenes flash in my mind, constantly. Unable to wield my newly obtained power, I have three options. I can fight, climb a tree (which will not work out), or run. Under normal circumstances, I would fight them, but Lloyd cannot, so I make my decision. I grab Lloyd's hand and dash towards the end of the circle using Spinjitzu to break through the ring.

"We are ten minutes away from the exit!" I told him "Hang in there." More snakes-Venomari to be precise-attack us from the front. I stand in front of Lloyd as they spray green-hallucinatory venom on my eyes. My vision becomes distorted and my assailants (from my perspective) turn into many masked men with red eyes. I drop my shurekins, freezing with terror. How can I be frightened of humans? These men are like the one in my dream; the man on the ground was before me. Two grab my arms and pin me to the ground. I want to move, but legs won't budge; I want to scream but my voice will not permit me; I want them to leave me, but they will not; I want to save Lloyd, but my fear keeps me from acting. All I can do is stare at the men's red, merciless eyes. The snakes bind me with chains and cover my head with a sack. I do see black, but the vivid scenes will not depart from me. The boy, who had been stabbed by the masked man, crawls on the floor to the elderly woman. Although she may be knocked out, I have a feeling of certainty that she is gone from the world.

"Zane!" I hear Lloyd's voice calling me hysterically. "Silence!" another voice commands and I hear a slap. I try to move, fervently.

"Get him up!" the voice instructs, "Take him to Pythor!" Two sets of hands pull me up by the arms and loosen their grips. My legs give way and I fall face down, unable to stop from hitting my face. Everything turns black for a moment, and then I see the boy again, crying over the woman's body. I feel a sharp pang in my heart for the old woman. For some reason, she is dear to me. I suddenly connect this all together; the boy turns and I see his face. It is my own! These are memories I have forgotten, unlike the ones up to when my father passed away, which were erased. I see many other scenes for what seems an eternity. I suddenly feel a shock of electricity run swiftly through my body. I open my eyes and still see black, but then the sack is removed from my head, showing a bright light in front of me. I squint while I adjust. I am in a chair, chained up. I twist my head to the left and see Lloyd in another chair next to me. He is trembling, and so am I.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Wires

Just so everyone knows, I can't type, so writing takes longer, but I have a passion for this. Enjoy!

I shade my face from the light and find they are cuffed with extended chains. Two snakes guard us; one with a flashlight, the other with a spear pointed at me. We seem to be in a dim cave of some sort. It is quiet enough that I can hear Lloyd's rapid breaths. "So, did you get some comfortable rest, ninja?" a voice echoes from somewhere behind. I turn my head 360 degrees (which would be odd if someone saw me and did not know I am a robot) and see a serpentine form slithering over. Pythor appears, holding a bucket of water, "My, my!" he exclaims, "Did your mother ever teach you not to creep people out like that?"

I've never had one, but I ignore that and ask fiercely while twisting my head back, "What are you doing with us?"

"Oh, well I have not quite made up my mind completely, yet. But I have just thought of something. How do you open yourself up?" he questions me in an irritatingly placid tone.

"Excuse me?"

"You are a robot. You must be able to open your insides somehow. Tell me where it is."

"Do you think I will tell you?"

"It is your option, but if you don't," he moves over to Lloyd and grabs his arm, "I will drown this boy in the bucket." He sets the container down, grabs the chair Lloyd's bound to, and tips the boy's head quite close to the water. Lloyd starts to cry.

"No!" I scream, "I have a compartment in my left arm and in my chest."

Pythor smiles repulsively. He moves the chair back up and says to his henchmen, "Undo the robot's chains, but not the cuffs." The one with the light takes a set of keys from a bag and unlocks the chains, which drop to the ground with a loud clink. I stand up and open my chest. Pythor, with the bucket in hand, slithers to me, and observes my switches carefully. He sets the bucket down again and says, "So many switches! How will I choose?" He stares at me without blinking. Fear grips me like two hands squeezing my throat. I stare back, attempting to appear fearless for what seemed forever. He finally puts his hand out towards the snake with the bag. The snake hands it to Pythor who dumps the contents of onto the cave floor.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd asks nervously.

"You shall see."

He picks up a bare wire and a blueprint; he begins examining it silently. A sense of foreboding washes over me and I have wild thoughts. I try to shove them to the back of my mind, but they won't go away. Somehow, all of this feels eerily familiar, however, I do not understand why. It could be another memory, yet it could be my extensive imagination.

"Ah!" Pythor exclaims in despicable delight, "There it is."

Could I escape with Lloyd? I don't know. I calculate the probability. Suddenly, Pythor wraps the wire round one of my switches and pushes me back into the chair.

"Zane!" Lloyd screams.

I struggle, but the snakes drop their things and grab my arms. Three more enter the room while I fall backwards on the chair. I try to roll but am pinned to the ground. Pythor yanks out one of my black wires. Sparks fly in me and in front of me. I gasp from the pain. He pulls another one and twists them together, tightly. Lloyd keeps screaming, but no one pays heed to him. "Hold him down," Pythor commands them and heads out the room. In a moment, he returns with a cage. Inside the cage is the falcon, chained! He opens the door and says, "Record this message for the ninja." The falcon's eyes flash red.

"What are you doing?" I demand.

"Good afternoon ninja. As you can see here, I have your little white ninja here with me, and Lloyd Garmadon," Pythor begins, "If you want to see them again, follow the falcon, without your weapons, or else this will happen."

He grabs my intertwined wires and dips the broken, exposed ends into the bucket of water. Immediately, a shock sends searing pain throughout my body. I scream. He keeps holding it down. Everything starts to darken, but he pulls it out at that moment. I drop my head back in momentary relief, while he laughs menacingly. He snaps the wires and drops them on the ground. I retch. He makes his way to the falcon and says directly in my feathered friend's eye, "Cut!" The falcon's eyes turn blue and it takes off.

He returns and wraps a wire round another switch. His merciless purple eyes shine with pure entertainment as he rips out a handful of gears and wires. I see his mouth move but cannot hear him at all. He then flips a switch. Everything goes black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bait

I will not be able to write as much on the weekdays, so I am writing as much as I can now. Enjoy!

I open my eyes to see dark clouds and Lloyd's concerned face over me. "Are you alright?" I ask him but find I cannot hear my own voice. Lloyd moves his lips rapidly, making me unable to catch what he says. "I can't hear you," I tell him.

I believe he is saying, "Can you speak slowly?" I repeat the sentence not as hastily. Lloyd frowns. I see his lips move again, "You can't hear?" I lift a hand to open my chest, but feel intense pain. No wonder; my insides were ripped out; to make matters far worse, we are chained by our legs to a tree.

"Can you open me up carefully?" I ask. Lloyd attempts to, but it won't budge. He tries again, harder this time. It's stuck. Lloyd puts his small hand on my head and strokes my hair, sighing. I think. We remain in this position for twenty minutes, while night approaches. It will be sundown shortly. Not hearing anything is driving me insane. I wonder if the others are safe; if they have received the message yet, because I am certain we are much deeper into the forest than prior to the ambush. At last, I break the silence (not for my ears, but for his).

"What exactly happened?" I ask.

"He took us here and chained us to the tree, preparing an ambush. I did not see what he did to lock your chest. Can you turn your hearing back on by using your arm compartment?" Of course! I had not even considered that! I nod and Lloyd opens my arm. He flips the switch. "Can you hear me?" he asks. I shake my head. Lloyd stands up suddenly, but trips on the chain and falls next to me.

"Are you okay?" I ask, "What's wrong?" He doesn't respond, but just stares past me. I painfully force myself to stand, helping Lloyd get up in the process. I turn to see a large red plant shift slightly. It's not a plant. It's Kai hiding behind a bush. I fervently signal him to leave. He ignores my warning and stealthily approaches us with Jay in the rear. I keep signaling but Kai pulls out his Sword of Fire and slices through the chains. "Don't!" I whisper as loudly as I dare, "You're taking the bait!" Jay's ninja mask moves slightly at the mouth area. "I can't hear you," I inform him. Both ninja take their masks off. "What do you mean by 'taking the bait'?" Jay asks. Abruptly, serpentine drop down from the trees and approach us, using the same, slow, and dimwitted manner they always do. We stand back to back and surround Lloyd with a human and robot wall. I calculate. There are six snakes to every ninja (including Lloyd, even if he is not one).


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ambush

"Here," Jay hands me my shurikens, "You might need this."

I take it saying simply, "Thanks." Questions can wait. "Ninja go!" The three of us whip into our elemental tornadoes as a Hypnobrai group charges. We stop as the Constrictai group dashes toward us. The first one to attack me is wielding a spear. I swiftly put my weapons into my katana holster and grabbing my assailant's spear, just below the shaft, swing it to the side. The snake loses his grip and flies back a few feet. I thrust the butt end of the weapon into the next snake's stomach; then swing it to the side, whacking another in the head. I flip the weapon so the spear is facing my next attacker, who raises his sword and drives the blade through the middle; the spear slices in two. He is vulnerable for only two seconds. I take my opportunity and smack the snake's hand that is holding the sword with my "stick", making him drop his weapon.

I raise the stick to strike, when I feel a ripping pain in my left arm, causing me to drop my own weapon. I turn to see the Fangpyre general, bereft of their staff. Instantly I think of the venom that turns people (and perhaps robots as well) into serpentine. I glance at my arm and see that it is not so. One of the snakes is holding the handle of a knife, which is imbedded in my limb. He pulls it out, snapping several wires. I reach to grab the dangling wires, when the latter snake rushes up, with sword in hand again, and swipes it at my head from my right. I duck and he makes a neat slice into the general's arm. The right snake's head snake hisses in pain and I snatch his knife. Perhaps I can use the two-headed creature to escape. I step behind them, grab one of their shoulders, and put the ten-inch knife across both of their throats. Good thing the blade is long enough.

"I have your general!" I shout over the clamor. Everyone stops and looks at me. "Back off, or else I'll finish him," they all know I won't, but I have them in a tight corner, "Jay and Kai, transform the weapons. We need to get out of here." They do. Jay lets Lloyd get atop his Storm Rider. I slowly back up, step by step. My arm is weakening every passing second. Without warning, the general elbows my left side and breaks free from my grasp. I fall to my knees as the snake darts away. I turn round and leap onto the vehicle just as Jay takes off the ground. The snakes cannot fly, so I suppose we are safe, for the present. I f

eel the wind whip through my blond hair, drinking in the lovely, colorful sunset and sigh deeply. I glance back in time to see a rattlecopter slam into us, rocking our vehicle and I slide close to the edge. I latch onto the side to steady myself. Lloyd rolls off, screaming, as far as I can tell. I grab his arm with my left hand, knowing I won't be able to hold him for long. His eyes are wide with terror as he dangles high over the trees. "Kai," I shout as loud as I can, "Catch Lloyd!" He must have thought of the same thing, because he accelerated, attempting to get under us. My hand slips. Kai is not close enough! "Lloyd!" I scream, "No!" He's going to hit the tree. When Lloyd is about a foot above it, the mysterious Samurai swoops in and catches Lloyd. He lands, sets the boy down, and attacks the snakes. Jay lands and transforms the weapon again. We go to help the Samurai, but Pythor appears and grabs Lloyd, holding a knife to his throat.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Hostage

"Stay back ninja, or I'll make an end of the boy," Pythor warns us and he backs up, towards another rattlecopter that is waiting. He hops onto it and it lifts into the air. We watch helplessly as he takes Lloyd with him and the snakes depart.

"No!" Kai screams. I grab him with my good hand as he goes to transform his sword. He stares at me, inflamed that they have Lloyd and I am preventing him. He breaks away and asks, "Why are you stopping me?"

"They'll kill him if you try," I respond.

"But we have to save"-

"Listen to me!" I grab his shirt and pull him close. "We can't fight them in this condition!" We both glance at his left side. Although his clothing is red, all of us can distinctly see the large blood stains on it.

"Zane's right," Jay put in, "We need to treat you both and get Cole before we can do anything. We can't risk Lloyd's life. He'll be fine."

"Where is Cole?" I ask.

"He's at the bounty. We feared the snakes were up to some kind of trick, so we left him and Nya to keep watch.

I let go of Kai, who seems indignant but says to me, "Alright. Let's go." I take out my shurikens and close my eyes, trying to focus on the transformation. My head throbs again. A building on fire appears in my mind and a boy running out of the entrance, carrying a girl in his arms. I cannot concentrate at all and fall to my knees. "Zane. Are you okay?" Kai puts a hand on my shoulder. I drop the shurikens and press my hands to my head.

"What's the matter?" Jay asks worriedly.

"I….I don't know," I respond, opening my eyes. The pain lessens. Jay and Kai help me up, and Jay transforms the storm rider. Kai helps me on to it.

"Hang in there. We'll be home soon," he says and transforms in his cycle. I can tell he's in pain, but can still concentrate. Why can't I? I don't understand what these memories are or what they represent.

Thirty Minutes Later

We limp across the deck, heading toward the bridge. Poor Jay is in the middle and has both of us leaning on him. We collapse in the doorway. Cole is sitting at the table with the falcon in front of him, with an anxious look on his face. He instantly jumps out of his chair and hurries to help us up. "What happened to you?" he says as he helps Kai up.

"We went to the petting zoo and were attacked by a cockatoo," Jay says sarcastically.

"We were ambushed," I tell him as he helps Kai and me to the chairs, "I saw Lloyd, but we couldn't rescue him."

"Is he okay?"

I barely manage to read his lips. "He is fine."

Nya bursts into the room. "What happened to you?!" she exclaims and runs up to Kai. I am sitting right next to him and can see what she is saying. "Are you alright?"

"Of course I am," he lies. We stare at him and gives us a 'if you tell her' look. Nya apparently doesn't notice her brother is injured and looks at Jay. He's fine. She then turns to me, and sees the wires hanging loose from my arm. Kai stares directly at me and asks, "You never told us why you lost your hearing."

All eyes fall on me. I sigh and begin explaining to them. "When Pythor had me in that cave, he ripped out some of my wires on the video, right?" They all nod. "Well," I continue, "He tied two of my switches and somehow jammed my chest lid. I cannot open it."

Cole taps my shoulder to get my attention. "Let me try to open it," he says. I nod. Nya and Jay help me get to the farther end of the room.

"Don't rip it off its hinges," I tell him.

"Okay. Hold him."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Problems

I brace myself as Cole gently takes hold of my latch. He pulls lightly. He looks surprised, which is understandable for someone who can lift cars without much muscle strain. He makes a second attempt, with 10.45 percent increased strength. It didn't budge. He pulled harder and harder, until he was at 90.95 percent. He is now at maximum capacity. Pop! Cole flew back into the window, holding my lid. The glass shatters. "Cole!" we screamed in unison. All of us, including Kai, rush to him and Jay asks, "Are you alright?"

Cole stands up as if nothing happened, "I'm fine. Uh, sorry about the hinges Zane." He sets my lid on the floor with an embarrassed expression.

"It's okay. Nya can fix it. Let's take care of one thing at a time," I respond and turn to her, "Do you think you can help?"

Nya gasps in astonishment at my snapped, mangled, and twisted wires, chaotically stuffed in my chest. "What happened to you?!" she exclaims.

"Can I explain later, afterwards?"

"Sorry," she says and shoves the chair away from the table. I sit down, while she turns to Jay, who leaves after she says something to him. She looks at me and moves her lips, "Jay is getting the tools." I nod. Soon, Jay returns, carrying a red tool box and hands it to Nya. She sets it on the floor, opens it, and rummages through its contents. She looks at me again and speaks slowly, "This may be painful. Just bear with it." I nod again. She picks up pliers and stands up. She moves the tool towards one of my switches. From the corner of my eye, I see Kai sneaking out the room. Nya knocks into a loose cable. I stifle a cry and bite my lip, flinching slightly as she proceeds. She hits another one and flinch again, wincing. "Hang in there, Zane. You're doing great. I'm almost there. I got it!" She untwists the wire that is tying my switch up. She carefully moves it back, but hits something as she takes it out. I lurch forward and cry out as pain rips through my wire, which is connected to my wounded arm. I knock into Nya and she falls back.

"I'm sorry, Zane," she tells me, "I need to get to the second one and flip the switch." She turns to the other two, who stride to either side of me and grab my arms with both hands. Nya reaches into my chest after she puts the tool down. This is embarrassing, even if I don't find Nya attractive (Jay certainly does, but perceptions differ). I can't believe I am embarrassed at all. I never am. She flips the switch and I hear nothing still.

"Can you hear me?" Jay asks.

"Yes," I reply with a smile. Nya reaches for the tool again and goes for the next one. At that moment, Kai reappears and resumes his seat. "Ow!" I scream and retch forward, but am yanked back by strong arms. After Nya removes the second one, she makes her way to the two twisted wires. She is gentle, but all her efforts to keep me from feeling pain are futile. I lurch forward again in far more intense pain. Jay and Cole have difficulty keeping me in the chair.

"Kai, we need you!" Cole shouts. Kai rushes over and grabs my right arm. I yank away and swing my fist into his side, involuntarily. Kai stumbles back and instantly puts his hand where I hit it. "Kai, what are you doing?" Cole asks and sees the blood, "Are you injured?" Kai just grabs my flailing arm again, but Jay shoves him off.

"You go rest. We've got this," Jay tells him. Nya finally gets the wires undone. I cease struggling and shut my eyes, letting my head hang.

"Zane? Are you okay?" Jay asks.

I open my eyes and mumble the words, "Keep going." Apparently, no one head my weak voice. Suddenly, the red snake alarm goes off and we exchange glances.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Attack on the Bounty

Thank you for your reviews. I will pay better attention to the details.

The sirens are deafening. Nya runs to the monitor and shouts, "They're on the ship! It looks like there are about twenty of them on," she glances to the second monitor, "and more are coming."

"How could they get on? Wait! We left our elemental weapons! " Kai shouts back.

'Someone could have hacked the system, but that's not likely if the serpentine are here. Hang on, where did you leave it?"

"In the kitchen."

"Why did you do that?"

"Never mind that right now!"

"Okay, Cole. You're the team leader, so what's the plan?" Jay asks.

First of all, we need to get Zane out of here," he announced.

I understand why you're doing this, but I can't comply," I tell him, "We must stick together and fight. There are too many of them. I already calculated the probability." I pause.

They stare at me and Jay asks impatiently, "Well? Spit it out."

"5.67 percent."

"When the devourer attacked us, you said the probability was 8 percent. We'll be fine," Jay says.

"This is less," I state the obvious.

"Duh."

"Guys, quit arguing. Zane, do you think you can fight?" Cole asks.

"If I can put the lid back on, I think I can."

Cole picks an screw driver, four screws, and my lid off the floor and says, "We're going to need to make this quick. Kai and Jay, make sure the snakes can't get in the room. Nya, take off the ground and rock the ship to the side to make them fall off." He begins screwing my lid back on, while Jay and Kai block the door with the table and chairs. Nya presses the red button and the ship's flags expand, preparing to take off the ground. On the monitor, I can see the serpentine at the door of the bridge, banging against it. "I got it!" Cole exclaims and drops the screw on the ground. I close the lid and we both head to the door to help. We thrust ourselves against the table.

"Hurry, sis!" Kai shouts.

"We're about to take off," she announces, "Hold on!" She yanks the steering wheel to the left, causing us to slide to that side. I bump my head into the wall. The door bursts open and serpentine stream inside. Apparently, the snakes did not fall, or at least most of them didn't. The ship rocks to the right, then back left almost at the same moment. A chair slides towards me, but I see the advantage. I catch it with both hands and thrust at an armed snake. His sword penetrates through the chair and is stuck, inches from my face. I swing it to the right, knocking the Fangpyre into the wall. I flip the chair over and rip the wooden leg off; then drop chair onto the floor. Another snake with a sword charges and sweeps it at my legs. I leap over it and whack the snake in the head. I halt. This has a similar feeling to when I hit the masked man with the bat. Wait! What masked man?

"Zane! Watch out!" Kai calls and blocks a snake's sword with his own in front of me. He doesn't block it far enough, however, and it slices his left arm. The snake raises his blade. I turn and smack his head with the wood and the serpentine drops to the ground. The ship leans to the right and accelerates. I fall onto my back and slip, slamming into the other wall and losing the leg of the chair. A Hypnobrai slides towards me with circles appearing from his eyes. I shut my own and thrust my leg into the air. I feel it hit my foot and open my eyes. I stand up at the same time as the barely stunned snake and punch his face. He swings his fist. I block it and kick his stomach. The snake bends in half. I hear a loud zap behind be and whirl round to see Fangtom, with both heads hissing at me, holding a stun gun in his right hand.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Five Years

The snake rushes at me with the stun gun, holding the button down. I leap aside. Someone grabs be from behind and Fangtom touches me with it. A surge of electricity shocks throughout my body. The snake holds it against my chest. I see flashes of white light and the man on the ground from my dream. The blood is on my hands and I am holding a knife. I stare at the immobile corpse. His eyes open. I freeze. He slowly stands up and pulls a little black object out of his pocket, then slowly approaches me. I hold out the knife and warn him in weak voice, "Don't come over here." He grabs my wrist and twists it. I drop the weapon and he shoves the object against me. I feel the same electric shock in me. I stumble back and everything goes black for 5 percent. I open my eyes. I'm in the bounty again. The snake behind me lets go and I drop to the ground. Kai and Jay are attacking Fangtom; Cole is fighting four Constrictai; Nya is steering the ship. The scene fades away and I see my deceased father, lying in bed, at home.

Five Years Prior: (Villager Pov.)

I exit my door to take care of my morning duties. I have to put out fresh fruit at my stall, feed the pigs, clean out their pen, blah, blah, blah. I wish I could move to Ninjago city and attend a college, but I can't afford it. I haul the bags of fruit to my stall will difficulty. My long, brown hair dangles in front of my face. It's always in the way! I set the bags down, take a pony-tail out of my pocket, and put my hair up. I reach for my bags, when my brother picks them up for me and says, "I've got this, sis." I smile as we make our way to the stall. Once he sets the bags down, he taps my shoulder and points to our right. I look and see a teen I am not familiar with, walking towards the center of the village. He collapses on the ground. My brother and I run up to him. Already, a crowd has gathered round him.

I stoop over the teen and shake him, "Wake up. Are you alright?" He opens his eyes and stares at everyone.

(Zane's Pov.)

I see all these faces gathered round me. A dark haired girl shakes my shoulder asking, "Are you okay? Where are you from?"

I stare into her brown eyes. "I don't know," I say after a moment. The crowd starts talking to each other. I sense they are astonished or perhaps confused.

"Do you remember anything, an injury or maybe something traumatic?" she questions me.

I think hard for a long while. "I don't remember anything at all," I say to her. She looks at me with pity in her lovely eyes. "Where am I?" I ask, "You are quite pretty. What's your name?"

The girl smiles sadly. "My name is Jane. This is Jamanukai Village." She turns to a teen and speaks to him for a moment, then looks back at me, "Would you like to stay with us until we find your family?" I nod and she and the boy she had spoken to, gently pull me to my feet. "This way," she says and points to a little building. It looks the same as the rest of the surrounding ones, yet one thing stands out. It has a wooden, worn out sign above the door, with a white and blue dragon painted on it. Jane opens the door and I enter into a little, white room with a table and four chairs. An elderly woman with a cane sees us. She motions to a chair and I enter with Jane and the boy.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jamanukai Villlage

I sit on the nearest chair. The elderly woman walks to a different chair with difficulty. She leans her cane against the table. I get up and grab her arms, supporting her to sit. "Thank you, young man," she says and I resume my seat.

Jane speaks in a cheerful tone, "This our grandmother, Lisa and this is my older brother, Jason."

"Greetings, Mrs. Lisa and Mr. Jason," I bow my head slightly towards the elderly lady, then at the teenager. They exchange glances, and seem to be refraining from laughing. I don't understand why.

"Nice to meet you," Mrs. Lisa responds. "You may call me Grandmother

"Same here," Jason replies, "Just call me Jason."

"What's your name?" Mrs. Lisa asks.

"I don't know," I tell her.

"What do you mean?"

"Um, well, you see," Jane began, " he has lost his memory and I told him he can stay here until we find his family. Is that alright Grandmother?"

The kind old lady put a hand close to her mouth and exclaimed, "That's terrible! Of course you can stay!"

"Thank you Mrs. Lisa," I reply.

She waves her hand dismissively, "Please call me Grandmother and no need to be polite. Although this is not much, treat this place as your home."

I nod, smiling.

"By the way, what's that round your neck?" Jason points.

I pull of what is round my neck and gaze at it. "It's a jade pendant," I tell them, "Inscribed in it is a name. It's most likely mine."

"What is it?" Jane inquires.

"Zane," I announce. Jane stares at my face for a moment. "Is something the matter?" I ask.

"No. The name suits you. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I am quite fond of it."

"Are you going to keep it as your name?"

"Yes. Is that okay with you?"

"You don't need our approval. It's your name, Zane," Jane smiles at me.

Jason gets out of his chair, "Why don't you sleep in my room? Come on, I'll show it to you." I follow him to a narrow hallway with three doors. He walks to the end one and opens it. "After you," he says. I enter. The two things it contains are a bed and a wooden crate. I don't know why, but it feels home-like to me. "You can take the bed," Jason says, "I have a few extra sheets and blankets to made a bed on the floor."

"No, Jason, I will sleep on the floor," I say to him.

"No, you're the guest, so you sleep on the bed. I insist."

"I can't do that. I insist as well."

"Zane, we'll have to find a way to agree. Why don't we arm-wrestle? You do know how right?"

"Yes, certainly. "

We pull the crate into the middle of the room and get on our knees on either side of it. "Which hand are we doing?" I ask.

"I'm left handed. You?"

"Same here." We place our left arms on the table and grip each other's hands. "On three," I say calmly, "One, two-"

"Two and a half!" Jason shouts, grinning widely.

_Why did he interrupt? _"Three."

"What are you two doing?" Jane strides into the room. Her face lights up, "Oh, keep going! I want to see!" Our arms lock tightly, muscles straining. He pushes my arm to the side slightly, but my strength counters his. I move it back and past where he had. I'm almost there. I can feel his sweaty palms hot with rigidity. Slam! I smack his hand down onto the crate.

"Aw!" Jason swings his hands in the air and then sets them back on the table, "You cheated!"

"I did?" I ask and both siblings burst out laughing. "Why are you laughing?"

"I was joking!" Jason tells me between gasps, "Of course you didn't cheat!"

"Oh," I respond, confused.

Grandmother ambles in and suggests, "Why don't you two show Zane around? After all, it's a tiny village."

"Sure," Jane says, "Come on Zane." We head outside. Thunder rumbles once we step out the front door. Dark clouds have been around all day long and it seems as if it will rain soon. The siblings show me around for about five minutes when Jane snaps her fingers and exclaims, "Ah, I forgot! I was supposed to purchase a bag of rice! I'll go and buy it really quick." She takes off in the opposite direction.

"Okay! I'll take Zane to see the tea shop!" Jason calls back. I follow him quietly for a minute or two and he stops all of a sudden in front of a gap between two buildings. "We have to pass this alleyway in order to get there."

"It's a bit dark inside," I say, "Are you certain this is the only way?" I don't know why, but I feel uneasy about going in.

"It is. Don't worry. I've been here numerous times and nothing has happened. It's empty in there."

I nervously enter the dark alley. This area seems too quiet and I sense something is not right. But what is it? I begin to turn as someone grabs me from behind and pins me to the right wall. Something cold touches back and a voice whispers, "Don't make a sound."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kidnapped

I hold my breath, waiting for a response from whoever is behind me. " Here are my rules: do what I tell you or I'll kill you; don't make a sound or I'll kill you; don't try to run or I'll kill you. Do you understand?" a muffled, male voice whispers.

I slowly nod, my face scraping against the wall. The object is removed from my back and the man grabs my shirt. He shoves me forward to the end of the alley and pokes me with what I believe is a knife. I walk forward. Wild thoughts race through my mind. I don't know what he wants or who he is. He shoves me forward and I stumble slightly forward. We keep moving down the back of the village. Behind it are snowy mountains and a cave. I stand in front of the entrance, sensing something is inside when he shoves me forward, into the mouth of it. The interior is far darker than the alley and I cannot see anything. I blindly stumble forward, putting my hands out. After about ten minutes of going completely straight, he whispers again, sending an echo throughout the cave, "Turn left." I turn left and keep walking for about twenty seconds. "Turn right." I turn right. I see a bonfire on the right side of the cave, against the wall.

Perhaps I can use this to escape. I run forward and snatch a stick from it, scattering embers in the air. I whirl round and shove the fire-lit stick against the man's shoulder. He screeches and stumbles back, dropping the knife. The stench of burnt flesh lingers in the air. I push past him and slam into the wall. I drop the fire-lit stick or torch on the ground and the flames go out. I turn to pick up the stick. Once my fingers touch it I gasp and drop it again. My fingers burn. The man grabs my arm and sticks the knife against my throat. The bonfire dimly lights my surroundings, showing the man. He is clad in black and wears a dark cap. A mask is on his face, but I can see anger in his eyes.

"I said," he says, sounding as if through gritted teeth, "to not try to run. Try that again. I dare you." He pulls his knife away from my throat, releases me from his grip, and punches me in my gut. I bend over, hands on my stomach, gasping. He takes hold of my arm and yanks me. "Come here!" I pull as hard as I can, but cannot get away. _What do_ I do?_ He's going to kill me? _I reach down and sink my teeth as hard as I can into his arm. He lets go and I race forward; then I turn to the right, then the left. I hear his footsteps close behind and trip on something. I fall on my face and get up, but my leg is grabbed from behind. I fall again. I twist my neck round, even if cannot see and kick his face with all my strength. He lets go with one hand and I kick him again, but feel a sharp pain in my leg at the same moment. I throw him off with my leg and get up. My leg isn't injured enough for me to not to be capable of running, but there is something wrong with my foot.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Murderer

The last thing I had seen was a large stone in the man's hand hitting my head. Now I am tied to a chair, back in the room with the bonfire. A tripod is in the middle of the room. I turn to my left see a girl is sitting next to me in the same position. She looks around ten or eleven years old and is unconscious. Another child is in the room. Blood is splattered on his spiked, brown hair and he is tied to a large boulder. His head is hanging down and his body is limp. He is gagged. _How come he is the only one with a cloth in his mouth? _A bloody, metal rod is on the floor in front of him. "Hey, are you alright?" I whisper. The echo bounces off the walls. The girl lifts her head slightly and looks at me. She says something, but I can't catch the words. "What did you say?"

"Leave," she speaks in a weak voice then frantically screams, "Don't move!"

"What is it?" I ask.

"If you move, you will die." I freeze. _What could it be?_

"What is it?" I repeat. The dark haired girl opens her mouth to speak, but at that moment the man enters with a camera in one hand and a knife in the other. He walks over to the tripod and mounts the camera; then strides over to the boy. He grabs the boy's hair and shakes him. The boy opens his eyes and glares at the man with contempt in his dark eyes. I feel something crawling on my shoulder and see a black arachnid out of the corner of my eye. I am not afraid of it, but I don't know if it's a black widow or not and shift slightly. The man whirls round and swinging the knife, lets it fly from his hand. I shut my eyes tightly, expecting to feel my flesh being torn at any moment. I hear it strike. I don't feel anything. I slowly open my eyes and see a knife pinned into the seat of my chair next to my leg.

The man lets go of the boy's hair are makes his way towards me. With each step he takes my heart pounds more rapidly. "Do not move or else I won't miss next time. Are we clear?" His face is inches away from mine now. "If you do, you'll end up like their mother," he says, pointing to a body in front of the bonfire. How could I have missed that? There is a female corpse, in a pool of blood. Her mouth is slightly open and her unseeing eyes are wide with terror. This man (if you can even call him one) is a sick individual with an obsession over movement.

_Should I nod or answer? Nodding would be considered a movement, wouldn't it? _"Yes, sir?" I reply.

"However, you have been too much trouble and I intend to make you pay for it," the man whispers.

He reaches down and plucks the knife out of the chair; then raises it above my leg. A hand holding a rock strikes the man's head. The murderer drops to the ground and I see the boy drop the rock and stoop over, picking up the knife. He goes to the girl and begins cutting the binds. He then goes and cuts mine as the girl stands up. The man starts to groan at the moment the ropes drop to the ground. We all start running towards the end of the room and slam into the wall again. We turn left, then right; then the boy in front halts.

The girl and I knock into each other and she whispers, "What's the matter?"

"We made the wrong turn," he whispers back. Before we can go back on the right track we hear rapid footsteps behind us and we keep running in the same direction. Perhaps there are different ways out. Right now, we have no other option, but this. The footsteps are progressively getting closer and I can't see any way out. I turn and see a torchlight and the killer not far behind. He is closing in on us. The two in front are weary and the boy in front stumbles. The girl and I help him up and I notice a stab wound in his right arm. We rush forward, but the tunnel is too narrow for three to walk abreast. I feel a hand grab my arm and look back.

Sorry about not being able to put any chapters up last night. I had to go to work until late.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Tunnels

A hand covers my mouth before I can scream and all three of us are shoved into a side opening. The killer passes right by us without taking notice. Then who is the man covering my mouth? My heart pounds as I watch the light fade and wait for the murderer to depart. After perhaps ten minutes or so, the man removes his hand from my mouth. "Father, is that you?" I hear the girl whisper.

"Yes its me, Nya," the man speaks softly, "I suspected you were in here and have come to rescue you two, but first, we must take care of your brother. Is this boy alright?" He turns to me.

"I am unharmed sir. Thank you for your concern," I respond.

"Alright then. Could you and Nya guard the door?" we both nod, "Kai, sit down," he says to the boy, who obeys and sits with his back against the wall. The space is quite small and I peer round the corner. Torches light the entire passage, so it is easy for me to guard. No one is present. I glance back and see Kai's father take out a knife from his belt and start cutting the boy's red shirt. I look back and see nothing of interest or threat just the lengthy, empty tunnel. I hope there is no one else lurking about, but I doubt it. He was alone and how much effort would it be to kidnap two children? Poor Kai and Nya lost their mother to that cruel killer. I am going to find a way to stop him, but not now. We need to leave first and I ought to take some form of martial art to defend myself. I hear Kai stifling a cry and turn. His father is binding his bloody, deep wound with a portion of his blacksmith's clothing. Kai starts to scream and his father covers his mouth instantly. I hear some other sound and whirl round as quickly and quietly as I can. I lean out f the corner slightly, but see nothing. I lean out father and see a shadow advancing.

"There's someone else here," I whisper calmly and slip back in.

Kai's father just finished binding the wound and we all freeze. Sure enough, the distinct sound of footsteps can be heard. I believe the sound is from heavy boots. They are almost upon us. _Please pass us. Please pass us. _The sound stops quite close to where we are. I hardly dare to breathe. A sound of metal being drawn is heard. Kai's father slowly draws his sword. I slowly begin to back up, step by step. I am nearly to where Kai is and start to go round Kai's father. I trip on his foot and fall flat on my face. The sound echoes sickeningly loud. I get up and spin round as a woman clashes her sword against Kai's father's blade.

"Go, now!" he screams. Nya and I help Kai up and run past the woman. Once we reach the hall we halt, momentarily uncertain as to which way to go. I put Kai's shoulder round mine and Nya does likewise.

"Where do we go?" she asks frantically.

_We started towards the right I believe and the murder went the latter_,I think to myself.

"Go to the left," I say and we change our course, heading the way we had come. I hear the clashes of metal and more advancing footsteps. There are at least several people on our trail.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Escape

No, there were five men and two women in the tunnel! What were we going to do? I start running as fast as I can. Kai is smaller than I but between him, Nya, and me, the height difference makes moving awkward. We stumble and drop to the ground, because we took a wrong turn and the ceiling is significantly lower. We let go of each other and start crawling on the ground. Light is on the other side but we have a lot of ground to cover. We move in single file in this order: Nya, Kai, and me. I hear the other people drop to the ground and advance as well. The glow of a torch gives the tunnel a tint of orange and red. Kai halts, panting heavily and holding his shoulder. He moves again, gasping. The pain must be unbearable. We keep moving but I can judge from the noise that the enemies are almost close enough to grab me. I feel a bit suffocated in such a tight space. Sweat drips off my forehead and my breathing is labored. Kai looks like he is about to collapse and is barely able to press on. We are almost there.

"The light is near. Keep moving; we are almost there!" I shout. Nya is out! She reaches a hand out and helps Kai. She then reaches for mine after her brother is safe. I grab her hand, when I feel a ripping pain in my leg.

"Come on!" Nya screams. I use the last of my strength to exit the tunnel. I'm out! I lie on the ground and close my eyes, but then think of the killers. I instantly open my eyes and look about me. I am next to an abandoned hut, but there is no time to bother about that. I glance at my surroundings and spot a huge, spiked, wooden circle. _Don't attempt to figure out what this is; just use it!_ I grab it and sit up, ignoring the pain and shove it against the opening. It fits perfectly. I collapse on the ground and do nothing, hearing the people scream. I lift my head enough to see my leg. It's bloody on the side of the right calf. What about Kai and Nya's father? They must have been thinking of the same thing, because they begin to get up at the moment I do. My leg is throbbing. I stand. I try to walk but can only limp slowly. Kai and Nya start moving towards the village, which is a block or two away. I follow, but cannot keep up long and the distance between us grows.

"Help!" Kai and I start screaming, while Nya runs ahead of us. We keep making noise. When we two arrive at the village, the Nya has the people stirred up already. The men were raising bamboo sticks and gathering in the middle. Nya leads them over. I see them passing by rapidly. After they left, I begin making my way, with Kai leaning on me, to Jane's dwelling. I start to feel weak and my leg is hurting with every step I take. Jason is pacing back and forth in front of the door. He stops when he spots us and hurries over.

"Zane!" he calls out. I sway to the left and Kai and I stumble. Things go blurry and both of us drop to the ground. Jason bends over me, "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

Everything goes black.

Jane hands me a cup of hot tea and gets on her knees by the bed. "Are you feeling any better?" she asks me. My head is throbbing intensely from the fall and so is my leg, but I nod anyway. She frowns, apparently not buying it. "Is that so?"

"Yes. Well, I am better than when I first woke."

She smiled, displaying her perfect, pearl-white teeth and dimples. I smile back, a bit embarrassed. It is awkward being in the same room together, alone. I don't know what to say. "Um, where is Kai?" I ask.

Her smile faded, "He's in my room, still unconscious. He is far worse off than you. He was starved and beaten. Who did this to you?"

I open my mouth to speak, when Jason bursts in the room and announces, "The villagers found Kai's father. He's dead."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Cries

I drop the cup in horror. It shatters on the wood floor, like a broken heart. Poor Kai and Nya; what will they do now that their parents are gone? "Did you apprehend the murderers?" I ask.

Jason shakes his head. "By the time they reached the cave, they were already gone. The villagers searched the place and found the children's mother. She died of a fatal stab wound to the heart."

"I wish…. I could have done something to save them," I say in a low voice.

"There was nothing you could have done. Don't blame yourself, Zane," Jane touches my arm lightly, "You could have been killed as well."

Suddenly, a long, piercing wail is heard outside. The cry is that of a young girl, most likely Nya. I start to get out of bed and both Jane and Jason help me up. They help me outside and I see Nya, in front of two mats, crying. Each has a white sheet, covering the bodies of what I presume are her beloved parents. My heart is in my throat. The poor girl lost both parents in such a short duration. I limp over to her and put a hand on her thin shoulder. She yanks the sheet off the corpse of her mother. The woman's black hair is bloody and scattered on the ground. Her body has a stench of rotting flesh. I should not cover my nose; it is disrespectful. Nya grabs the woman's hand and puts it to her face. I stand there, not knowing how to comfort her. She cradles the hand against her face for what seems an eternity; then the villagers collect the bodies. When they lift the mat up, she holds onto it, pleading earnestly, "Please don't take them away! Don't take them from me!"

I grab her and hold her tight, saying nothing. She struggles to break free from my grasp, but eventually drops on the ground, sobbing. She gets up, turns round, and wraps both arms round me, tightly. I grimace, in pain from standing on my wounded leg too long and shift my weight to my other leg. We stand here for about five minutes, then she suddenly lets go and pulls away. "How is Kai?" she asks, while wiping her tears.

I open my mouth, but hesitate. Her parents are dead and her brother is sick and in pain. How can I tell her that? "You ought to see for yourself," I say to her, "He is the house." I point to my abode, not far away. She breaks into a run and I limp after her. Jason and Jane must have re-entered the house, because they are in Jane's room, when we enter. Kai is unconscious, pale, and bleeding profusely. A physician is bent over him, checking his pulse.

"Kai, can you hear me?" Nya asks.

"He'll be fine," I say quietly, "Let the physician listen to his pulse. He needs everything to be quiet. Kai will be alright."

Nya nods and latches onto my arm. She squeezes me until her fingers are white. The doctor finally stands up and retrieves his medicine box from the floor, and turns to us, announcing, "The boy will be alright. He needs herbs, nutrition, and rest. His wound is deep, but he should be fine, with the proper care."

The man writes down the prescription and exits the room. Nya lets go of my arm and drops to her knees by the bed side. "Kai," she speaks softly, "you need to rest well, okay? Don't worry about Mom and Dad. I saw them." She chokes on her tears and holds his hand. I quietly leave the room and shut the door behind me. I wonder where my parents are, or even if they are alive. I have to know. I clench my fist and grit my teeth as I leave the house. I need to explore the cave again. . I have to find that killer, before he strikes again.


	16. Chapter 16

Investigation

I stare at the entrance of the cave. The air is chilly and only brings the rotting corpses and lonely siblings to my mind. I suck in as much air as I can and enter the cave, quivering slightly. I halt as my foot touches the stony ground, hesitant. _What if they are back in there? No, they couldn't be. They departed in order not to be caught and wouldn't risk returning. Would they? These killers are unpredictable, so I better be cautious._ I turn and observe my surroundings, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. A sword is on the ground, next to my foot and I stoop down, picking it up with difficulty. It is a bit heavy for me and I hold it clumsily as I limp into the cave. Moving quite cautiously, I slowly make my way through the tunnel and go straight for a while. There are other entrances and tunnel in the area, far more then I noticed prior to the abduction. Which way do I go first? It would be best to keep going straight. Who knows how easily one can get lost in here? I follow the path until I reach an area where there are three directions in which I can go. The man must have made me move into a different left opening, before this one. I grab one of the torches that is lighting the cave and select the middle tunnel.

_After all, if I go straight, I will know where I have gone the entire time, _I think to myself. I sense something is not right in this place, as if it is not abandoned. _Perhaps this is my imagination. _I attempt to convince myself, but cannot shake off the feeling of someone or something, watching me, somewhere nearby. I glanced around frequently, flinching at every sudden, typical cave sound. It is strange that there are no bats in here, not even a sign of animal droppings or food, anywhere. Perhaps the people residing here had cleaned out this particular area to dwell in. I arrive in an open space and lean against the wall. I have been on my injured leg for too long and carefully sit on the ground. I set my sword beside me. I lift my leg pant slowly and examine the exterior of the bandage. It is soaked with blood.

I notice scratch marks on the ground that trail close to the end of the room. I lower my leg pant and stand back up. Limping to the end of the room, I see a throw rug, placed randomly on the floor. Or was it? I set the blade down and lift the rug. Underneath is a stone square that looks like a large tile, made from the cave, I suspect. Two metal handles are on either side of it. I bend over and grab both handles, lifting it up off the ground, finding it surprisingly light; I remove it and set it aside. There is a flight of stone stairs that lead down underground. Suddenly, two hands push me from behind. I see the stairs rushing up to meet me and can tell this is going to be bad.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jason

Just so everyone knows, I will explain everything in due time (including why Zane has blood). Nearly every detail is significant.

My face smacks the stone. In a matter of seconds, I am rolling on my side down the cold steps, wondering if my bones are going to break. I land on the floor in agony. My leg must be worse off than before and the room rocks back and forth. A face is over me. At first everything is too blurry for me to recognize who it is, but everything starts to clear soon.

"Jason, is that you?" I ask weakly, "Help me, please." I extend my bloody hand to him, trembling violently. Jason smiles and grabs me by both arms. He yanks me all the way up and slams me against the wall. I bite my lip in intense pain. _What is he doing?_ "Jason, what's going on?" I speak in a confused tone. He gets in my face, his garlic breath is overwhelming and I wrinkle my nose in distain. His dark eyes stare at me for a long duration.

"What do you know?" he says to me. My heart pounds rapidly as he pulls a gun out of his belt. It had been concealed the entire time! Where would he get it? He holds it to my forehead.

"I-I just discovered this place. That's all I-I have s-seen," I respond, trying to put up a false pretence of fearlessness, but my words come out as a mix of stuttering. "Jason, what-"

"Don't move," he sternly warns me, tapping my head with the gun, "Now, listen to me carefully; you never saw me nor the secret underground hideout. You fell make up whatever plausible excuse for why you are in this condition. " He taps me with the gun again, "Are we clear, Zane?"

I nod slowly. I hate to do this, but I can investigate this later. In order to do that, I must avoid being shot in the head.

We arrive at the doorstep. It is dark and began to pour not long after we exited the cave. Jason lets go of my arm and I drop on the ground. He bends down and whispers in my ear, "Call for help in two minutes." He takes off, round the back of the house, while I lie there, counting to 120 seconds. When I reach two minutes, I roll painfully onto my side and knock against the bottom of the door. No response. Perhaps I didn't knock loudly enough. I knock more fervently, but produce little sound. I hear footsteps approaching the door and someone unlocking it. The door swings open and slams into my midsection. "Who is it?" Jane asks, then gasps when she sees me, "Zane, I'm so sorry; I didn't see you! Are you okay?" I let out a low groan.

Jason comes out, pretending to gasp in shock and stoops down, grabbing my arms. He helps me up and takes me into the house. Nya and Grandmother are sitting at the table, talking quietly. Both siblings lay me across the table. Nya gets out of her chair instantly and asks Jane, "What happened to him?"

"I don't know. I found him outside the door, already in this condition," Jane responds then turns to me, "What happened, exactly?"

This is what I have been dreading. What can I say? I can't say that your brother is part of the murder plot and threw me down a flight of secret stairs. "It was," I begin, "One of the killers from the cave." They stare at me, mouths open. My stomach drops. I am pinning the blame on the murderers of Nya and Kai's parents. I feel guilt creeping up on me.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

School

It's been two months since the incident and Kai just awoke this morning. Both he and his sister don't have any other family and are staying with us. Jason has been acting as if nothing happened when around others. When we are alone, he taunts and beats me. I wear long sleeves to cover the bruises and scars from him. Jane is oblivious to what has been going on. I am going to school today for the first time as far as I can remember, of course and since there is only one school in the village and I am hoping I won't end up in the same classes as Jason. I took a special test to determine what grade I am in and discovered I am in eighth grade. Kai has two weeks to recuperate before he can attend. I enter my classroom, carrying my backpack on one shoulder and rubbing my sweaty fingers from my free hand together. My eyes scan the room, wondering where I ought to sit and see that Jane takes a seat in the second to the back row, at the very left end. I sit next to her. Teens pour into the room and sit in random spots. While putting my things into my desk, I look up to see Nya sit in the very back row, with her head down. Her lovely black hair in un-kept and she looks empty. I couldn't blame her. She lost both parents only three weeks ago and now has to cope with life, bereft of her loved ones. She has barely seen Kai either. I ought to pay extra attention to her. The teacher enters and sets her books where they go.

She claps her hands together and speaks cheerfully to everyone, "My name is Mrs. Anna and I will be your teacher. Okay, class. We have two new students present today. Come to the front and introduce yourselves please."

Nya and I reluctantly make our way to the front. "My name is Zane," I say awkwardly.

"What is your last name?" the teacher asks.

_Oh, great. Just what I need are a group of teens, making fun of the fact that I don't even know who I am. _I swallow nervously, and respond, "I don't know."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Anna inquires.

"I lost my memory," I simply state after taking a deep breath.

The majority of class erupts with laughter and the teacher puts a hand up. "Class, don't make fun." She turns to Nya and asks, "And you?"

"Nya Cai," Nya speaks quietly.

"Alright, return to your seats please." Mrs. Anna instructs us.

We resume our seats as the teacher begins Math class. Afterwards we went to Literature. We read quite an interesting story called 'A Man and the Snake'. We did several other classes and nothing much occurred until recess. At least Jason wasn't in any of them. Jane remained at the class, saying she had to do something. There is no playground at the school, just a fenced-in area with a few trees. A wooden plank and rope are tied to one of the branches as a make shift swing. The teens start doing stunts on the trees. Jason arrives and calls to me, smirking, "Hey, Zane, you going to join us?"

He is with a group of five teens; they are climbing the topmost branches and jumping off. I shake my head and turn to Nya. She is sitting against the smallest tree, alone, doing nothing. I walk over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, speaking softly, "Are you alright? Do you want me to sit with you?"

She shakes her head and responds, hardly audibly, "No, but thank you for your offer Zane."

"Hey, Zane!" I turn and see Jason with the group, approaching me. I stride over, uncomfortably, wondering if he would dare do anything to me in public. I suppose he can since Jane isn't present. I clutch the side of my pants, hoping nothing happens.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Bullied

Just so everyone is notified, I do not own 'A Man and the Snake'. It was the first story in my Literature class and I recommend it for anyone who likes unique and intriguing short stories.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I ask.

"Zane, why aren't you climbing that tree?" Jason taunts me, "Don't forget what I said." He forms a gun with his fingers and pretends to shoot my head, smiling. Oh, yeah, when you reach the top, jump off."

_Oh no. I do not want to do this. _I reluctantly go to the middle tree and stand in front, debating on whether or not I will comply. The thought of Jason flared up with all of his weapons he keeps in that crate in his room does not settle well with me. I lightly touch the trunk with my hand, thoughtfully. I can hear the teens chuckling behind me_. I don't care what they think. That's not it. If I do what he says, he won't beat me when we arrive home, right? Fat chance._ I grasp the fist branch with both hands and begin shimmying up the tree. When I reach the top I just stand there, staring at the ground over ten feet below.

"Hey, Hawthorn. Hurry up and jump. We don't have forever, you know," one of the boys teases me.

_If you are going to call me a name at least pick the right name of the tree I'm climbing. _I lean forward, while they taunt me, saying that I won't do it.

"Zane!" Jason calls, "If you don't jump before Jane gets back, you're going to get it from me! Just wait and see!" Nya glances up at me and shakes her head.

I suck in my breath, my hands sweaty from my grip on the branch. I don't think this is a big deal, however, we have rules at school. I leap off. My stomach drops as my feet hit the ground. The impact brings me down on one knee.

"Come here," Jason grabs my arms and pulls me up. _What's he doing?_ I believe I scraped my knee, but it's no big issue. Taking care of it can wait.

"Where are we headed to?" I ask.

He doesn't reply, but he and his group of lackeys and Nya, follow us into the headmaster's office. Jason releases me from his grip and shoves me in front of the headmaster's desk. A man with glasses is hunched over in his chair, reading a book. The man's name plate reads Mr. Grey Neilson. He looks up and sets his book on a small coffee table next to him; then folds his hands on the desk. "Alright, what's going on here?" he inquires expectantly.

"Mr. Neilson," Jason says, "Zane jumped off the highest tree at the playground. We tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen, so we've come to report this to you."

"Really?" he eyed Jason suspiciously.

"Yes, sir. My friends are witnesses."

The bullies nod in unison and Nya bursts out, "How can you say that you tried to stop him? You guys told him to and jumped off yourselves!"

_If Nya stands up to Jason, he'll get revenge on her somehow. I have to stop her. _"No, I did it of my own accord. It has nothing to do with them." Nya shoots me a questioning look.

The headmaster gave me a warning, but didn't suspend me. I know Nya and I will have a talk after we complete our homework. I wonder how Jason will respond. After I finish my school, I go into the room I've been sleeping in and think it's time to get rid of Jason's gun. I shut the door behind me and open the crate. I rifle through the contents until I find the weapon. I close the lid and slip the gun under the bed. I will take care of it tonight, when everyone is asleep. Footsteps approach the door. I whirl round as Jason enters. He shuts the door and locks it. _Uh oh. This can't be good._

When he turns, I can sense the rage in his eyes. He slowly approaches me, smiling, and says, "Keep Nya from running her mouth, or else you both will suffer the consequences. I'm going to vent my frustration on you today though. I'm in a bad mood."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Attempt

He strides towards me. I move aside, but he turns my way, slowly backing me up into the back left corner of the room. I hit the wall and know what will happen. He grabs me by my shirt and pins me hard. Although I am tall for my alleged age, Jason is about six feet and is a big teen. He swings me and slams me onto the bed, knocking the breath out of me. I cough from the impact. He raises a fist and jabs my mid-section with extreme force. No matter how many times he does this, I cannot get used to it at all. I place both hands against my stomach, gasping in pain. Jason raises his fist again_. I can't take this anymore. _I roll to the side and off the bed, landing on top of the crate. Jason's eyes flare up and he swings his leg into my side, sending shooting pain in my rib cage. I fall backwards, tripping on the crate and land on my back. I immediately get up and raise my arm, blocking a strike, aimed for my head.

"You dare defy me?" Jason pulls out a hidden knife from the back of his belt and points it at me. "Go ahead, try to get away. Just try."

"You don't have to do this," I attempt to persuade him, "If you stab me, or kill me, wouldn't everyone suspect you?"

"You're right, Zane. I'm not going to do either of those."

_I don't like the sound of this. _"Then what are you going to do?"

Jason smiles wryly and flips the blade upside down. He swings it at my arm and I pick up the lid of the crate at the same moment. He slices it in two; then grabs my arm, turning me to the side. He swings the blade in an upward motion, slashing my left arm. He releases me from his grip and tosses the knife under the bed. I grab my arm, wincing. "Hey, Hawthorn," he says, chuckling, "You might need this for your arm and remember, I have a lot more blades you don't know of." He pulls a white shirt out of the crate and throws it to me. It lands next to me.

He exits the room, closing the door behind him. _How do I take care of this_?I stare at my bloody arm and take my hand off it. I carefully remove my shirt, though it inevitably rubbed against the gash. After it is off, I take the white shirt and tear it into a long strip. I put one end in my mouth, the other I hold in my right hand and begin tying it round my wound, gritting my teeth. I wipe the blood up from the floor with my shirt; then slide the rest of the white shirt and my other one under the bed. _Man, there's going to be a pile under there if I don't get rid of the knife and gun. _I hear more footsteps approaching.

I hear Jane's voice just outside the room, calling me, "Zane, can I come in?"

She knocks on the door. _I better hurry up! _I grab another shirt from the crate and hastily put it on. "Just a moment," I say to her.

"It's alright. I just came to let you know dinner's ready and could you help me with Kai? He's going to eat with us tonight."

"Okay." I carefully get up and make sure there is no blood on me. I exit the door and go to the room next to this. Jane has to sleep in Grandmother's room and Kai and Nya sleep in here.

Supper was awkwardly silent. No one has told Kai about his parents yet. I need to wait a little longer to be certain Jason is asleep. I pull the blanket over my head, growing anxious and impatient every passing minute. I hear the clock ticking in the room for what seems an eternity. Jason never stirs. I pull the blanket back down and slowly get on my hands and knees. I glance up at Jason, who is snoring slightly. I need to make haste, because the burial for Kai and Nya's parents is tomorrow in the evening. I also have school. I lower my head and stretch out my good arm, groping for the weapons. I touch the edge of the blade and it nicks my finger. I ignore it and grab the knife, then search for the gun. After I have both in my hands, I look at the clock above Jason's bed. _12:30 A.M. Well, I better move, now. _I get up and sneak to the door, cracking it open, inch by inch, my heart beating wildly. The door creaks slightly and I halt. No one stirs. A feather dropping would be loud in here. I hold my breath and slip through the doorway._  
_


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Disposal

Just so everyone knows, I am almost done with the story! I already have the sequel planned out, partially. :) Enjoy!

I walk silently through the little house, fearing I will wake someone up with every step I take. The floorboards creak and groan underneath my weight. I am blessed that the house is not large, making leaving swifter than a mansion, however, it's more difficult to leave without anyone taking notice. As I near the doorway, I hear a creak behind me and see a shadow from the hallway. Without much thought, I dive underneath the table and lay, motionless. I shouldn't have done that. My arm is shooting with pain and I feel the blood spreading down my sleeve. _Please, go back to bed. _I see someone's feet turn and go back into the hallway. The light soon disappears and I creep out from under the table; then I make it to the front door. I unlock it and slip out. I glance to the left, then right, unsure of where to go. _Where do I dispose of it? _I could leave it at the abandoned shed near the cave since it's not far away. I make my way to the alley and hear a cocking sound behind me. I whirl round and see Jason, pointing a at my head and drop the knife in surprise. I point the gun I have at him in wild desperation.

"How did you-" I start to speak but he cuts me off.

"Do you think I am a fool?" Jason smirks, "I knew you would do it, and, besides, that isn't even a real gun, Zane. You will pay for this, you little rat!"

At that moment, we both hear a sound of something shattering. _Here's my opportunity. _I grab the knife upside down, while dropping the fake gun at the same moment, and knock into Jason's head with the butt end. I race towards the house and see Kai and Nya running towards me.

"Zane! Some men have broken in the house!" Kai shouts then looks at my assailant, who is on the ground, "What happened to Jason?"

"I'll explain later, but let's check this out first," I respond and we all run to the rear of the house. We enter through the back door and slip into Jason's room as three men come in the hallway, with knives. Someone screams and without hesitation, I burst out the door, with Kai and Nya in the rear. I whisper to him, "There are knives in Jason's crate in the room. Go get them. I hurry into Grandmother's room and discover a horrific sight. Blood is spurted all over the wall and the three men have their backs turned to me. Jane's body is there.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Death**

"No!" I scream and hurry to Jane's limp body, and drop the knife. I cradle her in my arms, crying.

The men turn towards me with merciless eyes and the one in the middle speaks to the others. "Get the old woman and the two children. I've got this one."

Two of the masked men take off._ They're going kill Grandmother!_ _I have to save her. _I glance at my surroundings and see a bat next to the bed. It ought to be more useful than a knife, because of its reach. I let go of Jane's body and grab the bat. I leap up and scream as Grandmother enters the room, "Call the police!" I swing the weapon at the man, who grabs the bat and yanks it away from me. I back up as he walks briskly towards me, fearing the worst. If he killed Jane, why couldn't he kill me? I look down at the knife beside my foot, wondering if I can reach it on time. The man swings the knife at my face. I duck and reach down, grasping the knife and driving it at his leg. He leaps back a few feet. I move to the side, grab the bat, and bolt towards the door, halting in the hallway. Grandmother is on the ground, eyes closed. Two men stoop over her body, chuckling. I race towards them in burning fury. If they killed my family, then I will kill them.

I slash the first man in the shoulder with the knife and swing the bat at the other. The second man ducks and knees my side. I drop both weapons as he kicks me and I fall on my back. The leader comes up from behind. I see his masked face over me, raising the knife above my head. I roll but knock into someone's leg as he drives the weapon down. I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder and hear them speaking in muffled voices. I attempt to get up as they stand over me, taunting me.

Suddenly, the man I had injured and the other man drop to the ground. I blink. Kai and Nya are here, with kitchen knives in their hands. The man behind me bolts to the back door. I get up with difficulty, grabbing the knife, and we pursue him as swiftly as possible. Once we're outside Kai tells us to split up. It begins pouring and lightning flashes. I race to the alley and spot the man running in there. _Why does everything occur here?_

I sneak behind him and stare at his back. It's quite simple. I could stab him in the back like nothing, or I could tell the villagers. I raise the blade, but freeze. I can't do it; I can't kill a human, even if he doesn't deserve to even be considered one. The man whirls round and I thrust the blade into the man's chest, instinctively. His eyes widen as draw out the knife and he drops to the ground. _Did I kill him?_

I nervously glance at the unconscious man on the ground in front of me. Rain drenches my cold, shivering body. My head throbs in rhythm with the booming thunder. I look at his face, feeling fear creep into the very corners of my wounded heart. I stare at my hand. I am holding a knife. Though I know it is not my own, I cannot help but wonder why I killed him. I would never do this to anyone but, I cannot deny the fact that there is blood on my hands. I look at my soaked shoulder, feeling intense pain and sickness. Everything turns black and I feel myself hit the hard ground.

I open my eyes to blinding light. Everything is blurred, but I can see brown above me. Things start coming into focus and I see Kai, leaning against the bed I am on, fast asleep. He's older now and seems healthier than previously. I am in my room I share with the other ninja, in the bounty. Now I know why I did not realize I was a robot. My father gave me fake blood so I could be human-like, so people would accept me. The human blood and other such things deactivated once I opened up my chest after my father passed away. Jay opens the door and exclaims with delight, "Zane's awake!"

The others rush in and gather round me, while Kai wakes up. "Are you alright, Zane?" Nya asks.

I nod, taking notice of Nya's hair. It was prettier and longer when she was younger. However, it seems a bit longer than when the snakes attacked.

"How are you feeling?" Cole asks.

"I'm fine," I say to them, "I just feel a little light-headed at the moment. What happened?"

"Just lay down and we'll explain everything," Kai says to me. I obey them.

"We fought the snakes off, but you were in terrible condition. You already had ripped out wires and were electrocuted, but to add to the overall damage, you were hit with a stun gun. We didn't think you were going to make it," Kai speaks softly.

"Yeah, we found Pythor's hideout and your wires and gears," Jay informs me, "It took Nya and me a lot of work, even with your blueprints to repair you."

"What about Lloyd?" I ask.

Cole shakes his head and says, "The place was abandoned when we arrived and we haven't been able to rescue him ever since. Sensei hasn't returned nor have we discovered the mysterious Samurai's identity."

"How long have I been out?" I inquire.

"A week," Jay responds.

Two weeks have passed since I woke and I have recorded down my extra forgotten memories in a diary. Kai and Nya never seemed to recognize me when we first met, so I suppose they either do not wish to remember the past or they really don't remember. I am not prepared to have a discussion with them just yet. Jason was never found, nor were Nya and Kai's parent's murderers. We still get snake alerts and have been attempting to get a fang blade, but so far have not succeeded. Kai, Cole, and I did a prank on Nya and Jay this morning, during class. It was hysterical. An alarm goes off suddenly. "Hey, Zane, we spotted Pythor at the Mega Monster Amusement Park!" Kai calls to me.

"I'm coming!" I shout and leave the diary on the table.

The End

I am going to write more Ninjago stories soon! I hope you enjoyed 'A Nindroid's Tears: Forgotten'!


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